Steel imports making work at New London's State Pier
New London — Reza Sayadi stood on the deck of the 587-foot-long ship Selinda last Tuesday and surveyed 5,500 metric tons of Antwerp-manufactured steel.
Selinda, a bulk carrier of Madeiran registry, had docked the day before at State Pier, 3 miles upstream from the mouth of the Thames River, and one of only three deep water ports in the state.
Sayadi, a cargo surveyor based in North Haven, was one of four surveyors working on the decks and pier to monitor the condition of the steel cargo when it arrived and as it was unloaded. Surveyors represent the interests of either the ship, the cargo owners or the stevedores doing the unloading — in this case, Logistec USA Inc., the contracted port operator of State Pier.
About 30 longshoremen working for Logistec spent two full days unloading steel beams, plates and coils. The coils range in weight from 5 to 15 tons and are worth between $4,000 and $30,000, depending on the type of steel.
The steel will be distributed by truck throughout New England to be used for both finished and unfinished products, from construction materials to beer bottle and aerosal spray caps to blades for lawnmowers.
The Connecticut Port Authority, which came into existence earlier this month, will be responsible for marketing the state's three deepwater ports: New London, Bridgeport and New Haven. Selinda was the first ship to be handled at the New London pier in July and the 11th this year.
Logistec has operated State Pier for about 17 years, Frank Vannelli, senior vice president for Commercial & Business Development at Logistec Stevedoring Inc., said in a recent interview. The company handles about 24 vessels a year in New London, most of them carrying steel from Europe, primarily Belgium and Germany, and also Asia. In the past, the company has operated the deepwater ports in Bridgeport and New Haven.
New London's deepwater port is well suited to bringing in vessels in the 15,000- to 20,000-metric ton range, and to general cargo like steel and lumber — products that can be loosely loaded.
The main commodity arriving at State Pier used to be lumber, before the housing market crashed in 2008.
Logistec has begun importing lumber again for housing and home renovations after being out of the market at State Pier from 2009 to 2014. The lumber is imported from Europe, but the company is in talks about importing it from Canada, Vannelli said. Some is transported by rail to Massachusetts to be distributed by Sherwood Lumber, but 95 percent of it is distributed by truck.
Logistec has expanded at State Pier, according to Vannelli, who said that in 2014 the company handled two salt-carrying vessels, a new commodity. The salt comes from Egypt and Chile. Logistec is in talks with DRVN Enterprises of Wethersfield about bringing in three salt vessels this year, which would mean about 100,000 tons of salt compared to the 55,000 tons brought in last year, he said.
'Top-notch' longshoremen
Steel is sensitive to rust and other damage and is more labor-intensive than some other cargo.
Sayadi, as the surveyor representing Logistec's interests, was trying to mitigate loss during the handling of the steel products and document any damage.
Selinda's crew, longshoremen, employees from Logistec USA Inc., and the four surveyors representing the interests of the cargo receivers, of Selinda and of the stevedores occupied various stations on the vessel and the locations on State Pier used primarily for the storage of steel and other products coming into the port.
Before the workers began unloading on Monday, Sayadi was already onboard inspecting the condition of the cargo.
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The two major causes of damage, he said, are rust, which can happen in heavy seas if water gets into the cargo area, and physical damage if a heavy storm, for example, causes cargo to shift during transit.
Tony Villano, who has worked for Logistec for 15 years, is one of about a half-dozen longshoremen whom the company uses on a full-time basis. Villano was helping to load recently arrived steel beams onto a truck.
"You feel good about yourself when you get something safe," Villano said on the pier Tuesday.
"The longshoremen here are absolutely top-notch, very experienced, good operators," said Jason Kimble, assistant operations manager for Logistec in New London.
Once the vessel is discharged — unloading is complete — Logistec warehouses the steel or stores it outside and then loads it onto trucks for its customers, he said, usually within 30 days of arrival.
Twitter: @JuliaSBergman
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